RED faces at the National Trust for Scotland as they admit posting misleading information about Robert the Bruce's wins over the English.

Restoration work begins on the statue of Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn site. (Photo: PA)

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BLUNDERING Bannockburn bosses have a battle on their hands after getting their dates wrong.

The National Trust for Scotland – who own the historic battlefield site in Stirlingshire – included a Robert the Bruce timeline on their website ahead of next year’s 700th anniversary of his most famous victory.

But they gave the wrong date for three of his most strategic triumphs over the English – at Linlithgow, Dumfries and Perth.

Willie Morrison, archivist at Linlithgow’s Annet House Museum, said: “Maybe they thought it was so long ago no one would notice.

“It is important to be accurate with history. It was an important time for Scotland.”

NTS had set up The Battle of Bannockburn website to highlight the last seven centuries of Scottish history.

But the section charting the run-up to Bruce’s historic 1314 victory stated: “1312: The Scots capture Perth, Dumfries and Linlithgow.”

However, it was not until January 1313 that Bruce personally led a party across Perth castle moat and scaled its walls, after the English had relaxed their guard.

The following month, Dumfries was taken and in the summer of 1313 William Bunnock, a local farmer who supplied fodder to the English garrison at Linlithgow, led another daring attack.

Mr Morrison said: “He put eight men in a cart and when they were underneath the portcullis on his next delivery, he cut the traces and the men jumped out.

“They had stationed other men at the entrance beforehand and they overwhelmed the guard.”